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| In Shiite Heartland of Iraq, Volunteers Get Set for a ‘Defensive Jihad’ | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| NAJAF, Iraq — It had been quite the morning for Jamli Umm Saif, a mother of four. After morning prayers on Saturday, she sent off her husband and eldest son to join a military parade by the Mahdi Army, a Shiite militia run by the populist cleric Moktada al-Sadr. | NAJAF, Iraq — It had been quite the morning for Jamli Umm Saif, a mother of four. After morning prayers on Saturday, she sent off her husband and eldest son to join a military parade by the Mahdi Army, a Shiite militia run by the populist cleric Moktada al-Sadr. |
| Then she phoned her girlfriends and told them to come watch the parade wearing white shrouds draped over their black chadors, as a sign that they, too, the women of the Mahdi Army, were ready for martyrdom. | |
| “Yes, we are women,” said Umm Saif, a nickname meaning “mother of Saif,” giggling from behind her black face cover. “But don’t be mistaken. We can fight, too. We will all fight.” | |
| Here in the Shiite heartland of Iraq, volunteers have revived battalions of the Mahdi Army, one of the dominant groups preparing for battle following the call for a “defensive jihad” June 13 by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, one of the highest authorities in the Shiite faith. | Here in the Shiite heartland of Iraq, volunteers have revived battalions of the Mahdi Army, one of the dominant groups preparing for battle following the call for a “defensive jihad” June 13 by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, one of the highest authorities in the Shiite faith. |
| From the sidelines of the parade on a main street in Najaf, Umm Saif, 47, and her friends waved green flags, one of the colors of Shiite Islam, as their men marched by the thousands, singing in support of Mr. Sadr. | From the sidelines of the parade on a main street in Najaf, Umm Saif, 47, and her friends waved green flags, one of the colors of Shiite Islam, as their men marched by the thousands, singing in support of Mr. Sadr. |
| The cleric himself, who only recently returned from Iran, where he is studying theology, was not present, but his “army,” which he disbanded in 2008, seemed to be back in full strength. | |
| The Mahdi Army march was the largest of several taking place on Saturday in Najaf, the oldest center of Shiite learning and home to several key clerics influential with the faithful. | The Mahdi Army march was the largest of several taking place on Saturday in Najaf, the oldest center of Shiite learning and home to several key clerics influential with the faithful. |
| All factions in the city have started mobilizing, preparing, as they call it, “for war.” But, almost everybody here says, the war is against the “terrorists” — the jihadists of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria who have seized broad stretches of northern territory — and not against Sunnis. | All factions in the city have started mobilizing, preparing, as they call it, “for war.” But, almost everybody here says, the war is against the “terrorists” — the jihadists of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria who have seized broad stretches of northern territory — and not against Sunnis. |
| This reluctance to lump together the Sunnis of ISIS with the Sunnis of Iraq could suggest that some Shiites, the majority sect in the country, are heeding the call of Ayatollah Sistani and other clerics to embrace a national identity instead of a religious one, despite months of fierce sectarian battles across Iraq that preceded the ISIS invasion two weeks ago. Several ayatollahs have issued fatwas against anyone feeding the fire of sectarianism. | |
| On Friday, a spokesman for Ayatollah Sistani warned that if ISIS was not “fought and expelled from Iraq, everyone will regret it tomorrow, when regret has no meaning.” | On Friday, a spokesman for Ayatollah Sistani warned that if ISIS was not “fought and expelled from Iraq, everyone will regret it tomorrow, when regret has no meaning.” |
| That day, as the sun was setting, Najaf and the adjacent city of Kufa were bustling with activity to heed that call. In neighborhoods, on soccer pitches and in parades on the main highway that splits the city in half, cheerful Iraqis brandished machine guns, denouncing the “terrorists.” | That day, as the sun was setting, Najaf and the adjacent city of Kufa were bustling with activity to heed that call. In neighborhoods, on soccer pitches and in parades on the main highway that splits the city in half, cheerful Iraqis brandished machine guns, denouncing the “terrorists.” |
| Sheikh Foad al-Torfa, a round-bellied man of God, trained on a dusty field in Kufa in military fatigues, a white turban the only reminder of his life as a Shiite Muslim cleric. | Sheikh Foad al-Torfa, a round-bellied man of God, trained on a dusty field in Kufa in military fatigues, a white turban the only reminder of his life as a Shiite Muslim cleric. |
| All around him groups of black-clad men marched in formation. “Who are you fighting for?” a self-appointed drill sergeant shouted. “For Iraq, for Iraq,” the men thundered in reply. | All around him groups of black-clad men marched in formation. “Who are you fighting for?” a self-appointed drill sergeant shouted. “For Iraq, for Iraq,” the men thundered in reply. |
| “When I looked at myself in the mirror, I felt proud, and powerful,” said Mr. Torfa, wiping sweat from his forehead. An Iraqi Army belt was strapped around his waist, and every now and then he touched the pistol hanging from it. | “When I looked at myself in the mirror, I felt proud, and powerful,” said Mr. Torfa, wiping sweat from his forehead. An Iraqi Army belt was strapped around his waist, and every now and then he touched the pistol hanging from it. |
| Among the long procession of war-hungry men seemingly present everywhere in Najaf on Friday were members of the Shebil tribe, who gathered after lunch on an empty parking lot. Members of the tribe popped up around the corner, dancing and singing with weapons in their hands, joining an ever-growing forest of gun barrels pointing in the air. | Among the long procession of war-hungry men seemingly present everywhere in Najaf on Friday were members of the Shebil tribe, who gathered after lunch on an empty parking lot. Members of the tribe popped up around the corner, dancing and singing with weapons in their hands, joining an ever-growing forest of gun barrels pointing in the air. |
| “Daesh, where are you? The real men are entering the battlefield,” they sang, using the Arabic name for ISIS. A 10-year-old boy nearly tripped over the Kalashnikov machine gun he was struggling to carry. “Tell them you will fight the terrorists,” his father said. | “Daesh, where are you? The real men are entering the battlefield,” they sang, using the Arabic name for ISIS. A 10-year-old boy nearly tripped over the Kalashnikov machine gun he was struggling to carry. “Tell them you will fight the terrorists,” his father said. |
| The Shebil, whose name translates as “lion cubs,” have already gathered 2,000 volunteers, said their leader, Sheikh Riyad al-Shaban. He and other tribal elders sat on a row of plastic chairs overlooking the gathering. | The Shebil, whose name translates as “lion cubs,” have already gathered 2,000 volunteers, said their leader, Sheikh Riyad al-Shaban. He and other tribal elders sat on a row of plastic chairs overlooking the gathering. |
| “This is not about Sunnis or Shia,” Mr. Shaban said. But when the dust settles, those who cooperated with ISIS must face justice, he said. “The Iraqi people will never forget what those traitors have done.” | “This is not about Sunnis or Shia,” Mr. Shaban said. But when the dust settles, those who cooperated with ISIS must face justice, he said. “The Iraqi people will never forget what those traitors have done.” |
| As his men set out on a procession through town, waving red Shiite flags and escorted by the Iraqi Army, Mr. Shaban said he expected the United States to honor the security agreement it reached with Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. | As his men set out on a procession through town, waving red Shiite flags and escorted by the Iraqi Army, Mr. Shaban said he expected the United States to honor the security agreement it reached with Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. |
| “Obama has signed it, al-Maliki has signed it, where are the Americans to help us?” he asked. | “Obama has signed it, al-Maliki has signed it, where are the Americans to help us?” he asked. |
| Around the shrine of the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, the tomb of one the most revered saints in Shiism, pilgrims with ice cream cones pushed baby strollers. | Around the shrine of the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, the tomb of one the most revered saints in Shiism, pilgrims with ice cream cones pushed baby strollers. |
| But in the offices in the back alleys around the shrine, clerics were receiving frantic phone calls from across the country. | But in the offices in the back alleys around the shrine, clerics were receiving frantic phone calls from across the country. |
| “A new attack on the Baiji oil terminal,” said Ali al-Najafi, son of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Bashir al-Najafi. | “A new attack on the Baiji oil terminal,” said Ali al-Najafi, son of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Bashir al-Najafi. |
| He was working three phones at the same time and his aides kept slipping him notes with more news. “Welcome to the battlefield,” he said, sighing. | He was working three phones at the same time and his aides kept slipping him notes with more news. “Welcome to the battlefield,” he said, sighing. |
| Mr. Najafi stressed that Ayatollah Sistani’s call for jihad must not be interpreted as sectarian, and explained that despite the fact that Shiites are the majority, all Iraqi groups must have their share of power. | Mr. Najafi stressed that Ayatollah Sistani’s call for jihad must not be interpreted as sectarian, and explained that despite the fact that Shiites are the majority, all Iraqi groups must have their share of power. |
| “Many of us here in Najaf have long been criticizing Mr. al-Maliki,” he said. “He made many, many mistakes, but now we must first focus on removing the terrorists from Iraq.” | “Many of us here in Najaf have long been criticizing Mr. al-Maliki,” he said. “He made many, many mistakes, but now we must first focus on removing the terrorists from Iraq.” |
| At the main entrance to the shrine, fresh victims arrived from the escalating war up north. Just after noon prayers on Saturday, dozens of armed men of the Shiite Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia pulled up at the front entrance, unloaded a coffin and marched toward the mausoleum of Imam Ali. | At the main entrance to the shrine, fresh victims arrived from the escalating war up north. Just after noon prayers on Saturday, dozens of armed men of the Shiite Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia pulled up at the front entrance, unloaded a coffin and marched toward the mausoleum of Imam Ali. |
| In the courtyard, a cleric spoke in honor of Asad al-Saeedi, 38, who was killed after entering a booby-trapped room near Falluja, an ISIS-controlled area. | In the courtyard, a cleric spoke in honor of Asad al-Saeedi, 38, who was killed after entering a booby-trapped room near Falluja, an ISIS-controlled area. |
| “Our enemies are sneaky and unfair,” the cleric said as dozens of fighters sat at his feet. “But do not underestimate them.” | “Our enemies are sneaky and unfair,” the cleric said as dozens of fighters sat at his feet. “But do not underestimate them.” |
| After that, a column of cars escorted the body of Mr. Saeedi to an immense cemetery on the outskirts of Najaf, the Wadi al-Salaam. | After that, a column of cars escorted the body of Mr. Saeedi to an immense cemetery on the outskirts of Najaf, the Wadi al-Salaam. |
| There, Ali Jassem, 48, a friend of Mr. Saeedi’s who was with him on his deadly mission, sat on one of the countless tombstones, smoking a cigarette as undertakers widened the hole dug for the fighter’s large body. | There, Ali Jassem, 48, a friend of Mr. Saeedi’s who was with him on his deadly mission, sat on one of the countless tombstones, smoking a cigarette as undertakers widened the hole dug for the fighter’s large body. |
| “Many more martyrs will follow,” said Mr. Jassem. “I wish I will be one of them, too.” |